A man armed with a machete and three knives was arrested trying to break into the Capitol hours before President Donald Trump’s visit to pay respects to former President Jimmy Carter, whose body was lying in state. The incident occurred during a security check at the Capitol Visitor Center, leading to a temporary suspension of security screenings as authorities investigated. The man’s motives remain unclear, but he faces multiple charges for carrying dangerous weapons. After visiting Carter’s remains, Trump plans to meet with Congressional leaders to discuss his legislative priorities, including tax cuts and immigration reform, amid challenges in securing Republican support.
A man with a machete was arrested trying to break into the Capitol just before President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit.
President Trump is scheduled to pay his condolences to former President Jimmy Carter, whose body rests in the complex’s rotunda, ahead of a state funeral Thursday.
Capitol Police confirmed that a machete-wielding man who also tried to sneak in three knives was arrested around 2 p.m. Wednesday, just hours before Trump’s arrival.
The president-elect will also meet with senators to discuss Cabinet picks and upcoming legislative priorities, such as immigration reform and implementing tax cuts.
Capitol Police confirmed that a man was arrested on the thread Wednesday afternoon.
The first post began: “Officers stopped and arrested a man who was attempting to bring a machete into the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC).”
“During a security check at the north entrance of the CVC, officers discovered a machete in the man’s bag, deactivated the X-ray machine, arrested the man, and secured the machete.”
But what authorities found was more than just a machete.
A police vehicle is parked outside the U.S. Capitol building on January 2, 2025 in Washington, U.S.
People pay their respects to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as his flag-draped casket is laid to rest in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC, on January 8, 2025.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
Authorities said, “Three knives were also found in the bag along with a machete.”
“Security screening on the north side of the Capitol Visitor Center has been temporarily suspended while we investigate.”
The man, whose name has not been released, was arrested on “multiple charges of carrying a dangerous weapon.”
Capitol Police said more information would be provided.
The horrifying announcement came hours before President Trump was scheduled to visit Carter’s remains in the Capitol Rotunda.
The late president is currently lying in state, which is a special honor for a high-ranking politician who has passed away.
Trump’s visit had been planned for several days and was publicly known in advance.
However, authorities have not shared the motive behind the incident.
Capitol Police officers stand guard outside the Capitol building during snowfall ahead of a joint session of Congress to certify the results of the 2024 presidential election on January 6, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Capitol Police quickly arrested the armed man, they wrote.
The CVC, where the man with the machete and knife was arrested, is not particularly close to where members of Congress gather, but is a public area where touring families and school groups typically enter the Capitol building.
There were no reports of injuries.
After Carter’s visit, the president-elect will meet with Congressional leaders ahead of his swearing-in ceremony in two weeks.
The 78-year-old has recently been discussing how to best achieve a number of his political priorities with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-La.).
Achieving many of these legislative goals will require significant cooperation from Republicans in both chambers.
This will be very difficult in the House of Commons, where Speaker Johnson has a slim majority. That means Speaker Johnson can only get one out of 219 Republicans to vote against his plan.
President Trump has been posting online about the “big, beautiful bill” he wants, sending the message that he wants to combine his top goals, including tax cuts and immigration reform, all into one package.
Meanwhile, Thune is advocating passing another bill to reduce the weight of the bill.
They plan to meet Wednesday to discuss how to move forward with the plan.
The president-elect will also likely discuss his selections with the Republican senators responsible for approving Cabinet members.
